1965–66 NHL season

The 1965–66 NHL season was the 49th season of the National Hockey League. Six teams each played 70 games. The Montreal Canadiens won their second consecutive Stanley Cup as they defeated the Detroit Red Wings four games to two in the final series.

1965–66 NHL season
LeagueNational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 23, 1965 – May 5, 1966
Number of games70
Number of teams6
TV partner(s)CBC, CTV, SRC (Canada)
NBC, RKO General (United States)
Draft
Top draft pickAndre Veilleux
Picked byNew York Rangers
Regular season
Season championMontreal Canadiens
Season MVPBobby Hull (Black Hawks)
Top scorerBobby Hull (Black Hawks)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPRoger Crozier (Red Wings)
Stanley Cup
ChampionsMontreal Canadiens
  Runners-upDetroit Red Wings

League business

A new trophy was introduced for this season. Jack Adams won the first Lester Patrick Trophy for his contribution to hockey in the United States.

February saw the momentous announcement that six conditional franchises had been awarded to Los Angeles, San Francisco, St. Louis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, all to begin play in 1967. The St. Louis franchise was surprising, as no formal application from the city had been tendered. It was awarded to fulfill the wishes of James D. Norris and Arthur Wirtz, owners of the Chicago Black Hawks, who also owned the St. Louis Arena, which they wanted to sell.

On the debit side, a strong bid from Vancouver was rejected, much to the anger of many Canadians and the protest of their Prime Minister Lester Pearson. A rumour was widely spread — fuelled by a corroborating statement from Leafs' general manager Punch Imlach that the Toronto and Montreal owners had vetoed the bid out of a dislike for sharing the proceeds from television broadcasts of the games. Vancouver would eventually get an NHL franchise in 1970.

The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) called for the end the direct sponsorship of junior ice hockey team and to allow players who graduated from junior hockey to be chosen in the NHL Amateur Draft. CAHA president Lionel Fleury asked the NHL to terminate the existing professional-agreement rather than letting it expire in 1968.[1] NHL president Clarence Campbell declined to terminate the agreement since 95 per cent of NHL players were produced by sponsored junior teams. The NHL felt that a draft of players might be viable but wanted to draft players at a younger age than 20, and wanted to continue making payments directly to amateur teams instead of the CAHA dispersing funds as it saw fit.[2] Discussions remained unresolved until a new agreement with the requested changes was reached in August 1966.[3]

Rule changes

The only significant rule change for this season was a requirement that the teams suit up two goaltenders for each game.[4]

Regular season

Among notable players to debut during this season were Ed Giacomin for the Rangers, Bill Goldsworthy for the Bruins, Ken Hodge for Chicago and Mike Walton for Toronto. In the meantime, however, the career of future Hockey Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay was over, as his request for reinstatement as an active player was vetoed by the Toronto ownership.

Ed Giacomin put together a six-game unbeaten streak early in the season to the delight of the fans. But the Rangers' inexperience behind the blueline caught up with them as the team began to lose and the Rangers were out of contention quickly, which cost coach Red Sullivan his job. Emile Francis took over the coaching reins, but the Rangers were headed nowhere this season.

Gordie Howe scored his 600th NHL goal in Montreal on November 27 in a 3–2 loss to the Canadiens to the cheers of the local fans. Among lesser milestones in the season were Frank Mahovlich's 250th goal and Johnny Bucyk's and Claude Provost's 200th.

In an unusual incident, the Red Wings' jerseys were stolen from the visitors' dressing room in Montreal the night before a January game, and Detroit was compelled to play in the uniforms of their junior farm team in Hamilton, which were express shipped to Montreal in time for the match.[5]

James D. Norris, owner of the Chicago Black Hawks, died of a heart attack in late February.

Final standings

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Montreal Canadiens 70 41 21 8 239 173 +66 90
2 Chicago Black Hawks 70 37 25 8 240 187 +53 82
3 Toronto Maple Leafs 70 34 25 11 208 187 +21 79
4 Detroit Red Wings 70 31 27 12 221 194 +27 74
5 Boston Bruins 70 21 43 6 174 275 101 48
6 New York Rangers 70 18 41 11 195 261 66 47

Record vs. opponents

1965–66 NHL Records [6]
Team BOS CHI DET MTL NYR TOR
Boston 4–8–22–11–14–9–18–5–14–9–1
Chicago 8–4–211–1–24–8–29–4–15–8–1
Detroit 11–2–11–11–24–8–27–3–48–4–2
Montreal 9–4–18–4–28–4–212–25–7–2
New York 5–8–14–9–13–7–42–123–6–5
Toronto 9–4–18–5–14–8–27–5–26–3–5

Playoffs

Playoff bracket

Semifinals Stanley Cup Finals
      
1 Montreal 4
3 Toronto 0
1 Montreal 4
4 Detroit 2
2 Chicago 2
4 Detroit 4

Semifinals

The second game of the semifinal series between Detroit and Chicago on April 10, was nationally televised in the United States.[7]

For the fourth straight year, it was Montreal vs. Toronto and Detroit vs. Chicago in the first round. The Canadiens were victorious over the Leafs in four straight games, while the Wings beat the Hawks in six.

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (3) Toronto Maple Leafs

The Montreal Canadiens were the best regular season team, earning 90 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs earned the third seed with 79 points. This was the twelfth playoff series between these two rivals, with Toronto winning six of their eleven previous series. This was a rematch from the 1965 semifinals, where Montreal won in six games. Toronto won sixteen of twenty-eight points in this year's regular season series.

The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs in a four-game sweep.

April 7 Toronto Maple Leafs 3–4 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Eddie Shack (1) – 02:12
Frank Mahovlich (1) – pp – 18:08
First period 12:08 – ppJ.C. Tremblay (1)
No scoring Second period 03:05 – John Ferguson (1)
08:13 – ppBobby Rousseau (1)
Bob Pulford (1) – 10:35 Third period 17:48 – Jean Beliveau (1)
Terry Sawchuck Goalie stats Gump Worsley
April 9 Toronto Maple Leafs 0–2 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period 09:30 – ppClaude Provost (1)
16:07 – Bobby Rousseau (2)
Terry Sawchuck Goalie stats Gump Worsley
April 12 Montreal Canadiens 5–2 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap  
No scoring First period 01:26 – ppEddie Shack (2)
17:32 – Tim Horton (1)
Ralph Backstrom (1) – 08:16
Bobby Rousseau (3) – pp – 11:00
Terry Harper (1) – 11:26
Second period No scoring
John Ferguson (2) – 00:16
Jean Beliveau (2) – 19:50
Third period No scoring
Gump Worsley Goalie stats Johnny Bower
April 14 Montreal Canadiens 4–1 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap  
No scoring First period 05:40 – Larry Hillman (1)
Gilles Tremblay (1) – pp – 09:32
Gilles Tremblay (2) – pp – 13:28
Second period No scoring
Jimmy Roberts (1) – sh – 04:04
Dick Duff (1) – pp – 07:16
Third period No scoring
Gump Worsley Goalie stats Johnny Bower
Montreal won series 4–0

(2) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (4) Detroit Red Wings

The Chicago Black Hawks earned the second seed with 82 points. The Detroit Red Wings earned the fourth seed with 74 points. This was the eighth playoff series between these two rivals, with Detroit winning four of their seven previous series. This was a rematch of the 1965 semifinals, where Chicago won in seven games. Chicago earned twenty-four of twenty-eight points in this year's regular season series.

The Red Wings upset the Black Hawks in six games.

April 7 Detroit Red Wings 1–2 Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Stadium Recap  
Dean Prentice (1) – pp – 18:28 First period 06:08 – Kenny Wharram (1)
11:54 – ppBobby Hull (1)
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period No scoring
Roger Crozier Goalie stats Glenn Hall
April 10 Detroit Red Wings 7–0 Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Stadium Recap  
Floyd Smith (1) – pp – 04:10
Gordie Howe (1) – 12:11
Floyd Smith (2) – pp – 19:50
First period No scoring
Andy Bathgate (1) – pp – 13:27 Second period No scoring
Dean Prentice (2) – 03:39
Andy Bathgate (2) – pp – 05:38
Bert Marshall (1) – 06:00
Third period No scoring
Roger Crozier Goalie stats Glenn Hall, Dave Dryden
April 12 Chicago Black Hawks 2–1 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period 15:01 – Bryan Watson (1)
Chico Maki (1) – pp – 06:19
Eric Nesterenko (1) – 18:43
Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period No scoring
Glenn Hall Goalie stats Roger Crozier
April 14 Chicago Black Hawks 1–5 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
Stan Mikita (1) – pp – 08:04 First period 03:15 – ppPaul Henderson (1)
No scoring Second period 02:59 – Paul Henderson (2)
No scoring Third period 01:06 – ppAndy Bathgate (3)
01:55 – Bryan Watson (2)
08:08 – ppGordie Howe (2)
Glenn Hall Goalie stats Roger Crozier
April 17 Detroit Red Wings 5–3 Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Stadium Recap  
Norm Ullman (1) – 08:14
Val Fonteyne (1) – sh – 15:08
First period No scoring
Andy Bathgate (4) – pp – 01:19 Second period 03:05 – Doug Mohns (1)
14:51 – ppPat Stapleton (1)
Gordie Howe (3) – 11:41
Norm Ullman (2) – 15:43
Third period 16:28 – Bobby Hull (2)
Roger Crozier Goalie stats Glenn Hall
April 19 Chicago Black Hawks 2–3 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period 02:51 – ppAndy Bathgate (5)
Phil Esposito (1) – pp – 14:24
Pat Stapleton (2) – 17:54
Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period 16:25 – Dean Prentice (3)
17:28 – Dean Prentice (4)
Glenn Hall Goalie stats Roger Crozier
Detroit won series 4–2

Stanley Cup Finals

The Montreal Canadiens were the defending champions in their twenty-second Stanley Cup Finals, after winning their thirteenth championship the previous year with a seven-game victory over the Chicago Black Hawks. This was the Detroit Red Wings' eighteenth Stanley Cup Finals, having won seven championships previously. Their most recent Finals came in 1964, when they lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games. This was the eleventh playoff series between these two teams, with Detroit winning seven of their ten previous series. Their most recent series had come in the 1958 semifinals, where Montreal won in a four-game sweep. Montreal won eighteen of twenty-eight points in this year's regular season series. Detroit would not return to the Stanley Cup Finals again until 1995.

Behind the skilled goaltending of Roger Crozier, who had missed parts of the regular season with illness, the Red Wings won the first two games of the Finals. However, Crozier was injured in the fourth game and the Canadiens won the Cup four games to two. Roger Crozier won the Conn Smythe Trophy as a member of the losing team.

April 24 Detroit Red Wings 3–2 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Floyd Smith (3) – 13:25 First period No scoring
Bill Gadsby (1) – 05:14 Second period 04:23 – Ralph Backstrom (2)
Paul Henderson (3) – 02:14 Third period 02:36 – Terry Harper (2)
Roger Crozier Goalie stats Gump Worsley
April 26 Detroit Red Wings 5–2 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Andy Bathgate (6) – pp – 18:39 First period 06:55 – ppJ.C. Tremblay (2)
No scoring Second period No scoring
Bruce MacGregor (1) – 01:51
Ab McDonald (1) – 02:45
Floyd Smith (4) – 12:28
Dean Prentice (5) – 16:25
Third period 12:00 – Yvan Cournoyer (1)
Roger Crozier Goalie stats Gump Worsley
April 28 Montreal Canadiens 4–2 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
Dave Balon (1) – 15:40
Jean Beliveau (3) – 19:12
First period 04:20 – Norm Ullman (3)
No scoring Second period No scoring
Gilles Tremblay (3) – 01:45
Gilles Tremblay (4) – pp – 03:21
Third period 19:59 – Gordie Howe (4)
Gump Worsley Goalie stats Roger Crozier
May 1 Montreal Canadiens 2–1 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
Jean Beliveau (4) – pp – 19:51 Second period 11:24 – Norm Ullman (4)
Ralph Backstrom (3) – 13:37 Third period No scoring
Gump Worsley Goalie stats Roger Crozier, Hank Bassen
May 3 Detroit Red Wings 1–5 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoring First period 01:06 – Claude Provost (2)
19:21 – ppYvan Cournoyer (2)
Norm Ullman (5) – 14:22 Second period 01:05 – Dave Balon (2)
11:22 – Bobby Rousseau (4)
No scoring Third period 05:31 – Dick Duff (2)
Roger Crozier Goalie stats Gump Worsley
May 5 Montreal Canadiens 3–2 OT Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
Jean Beliveau (5) – 09:08 First period No scoring
Leon Rochefort (1) – 10:11 Second period 11:55 – ppNorm Ullman (6)
No scoring Third period 10:30 – Floyd Smith (5)
Henri Richard (1) – 02:20 First overtime period No scoring
Gump Worsley Goalie stats Roger Crozier
Montreal won series 4–2

Awards

Bobby Hull set a new record for goals in a season with 54 and a new record for points in a season with 97, earning him the Art Ross Trophy and his second straight Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player. No left-winger would pace the NHL in points again until Alexander Ovechkin in 2007–08. Jacques Laperriere of Montreal won the Norris Trophy as best defenceman.

1965–66 NHL awards
Prince of Wales Trophy:
(Regular season champion)
Montreal Canadiens
Art Ross Trophy:
(Top scorer)
Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
Calder Memorial Trophy:
(Best first-year player)
Brit Selby, Toronto Maple Leafs
Conn Smythe Trophy:
(Most valuable player, playoffs)
Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings
Hart Trophy:
(Most valuable player, season)
Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
James Norris Memorial Trophy:
(Best defenceman)
Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:
(Excellence and sportsmanship)
Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
Vezina Trophy:
(Goaltender(s) of team with the best goals-against average)
Gump Worsley & Charlie Hodge, Montreal Canadiens
Lester Patrick Trophy:
(Outstanding service to U.S. hockey)
J. J. "Jack" Adams

All-Star teams

First team  Position  Second team
Glenn Hall, Chicago Black Hawks G Gump Worsley, Montreal Canadiens
Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens D Allan Stanley, Toronto Maple Leafs
Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks D Pat Stapleton, Chicago Black Hawks
Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks C Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens
Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings RW Bobby Rousseau, Montreal Canadiens
Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks LW Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Maple Leafs

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Bobby HullChicago Black Hawks6554439770
Stan MikitaChicago Black Hawks6830487856
Bobby RousseauMontreal Canadiens7030487820
Jean BeliveauMontreal Canadiens6729487750
Gordie HoweDetroit Red Wings7029467583
Norm UllmanDetroit Red Wings7031417235
Alex DelvecchioDetroit Red Wings7031386916
Bob NevinNew York Rangers6929336210
Henri RichardMontreal Canadiens6222396147
Murray OliverBoston Bruins7018426030

Source: NHL.[8]

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP MIN GA GAA W L T SO
Johnny BowerToronto Maple Leafs351998752.25181053
Lorne WorsleyMontreal Canadiens5128991142.36291462
Charlie HodgeMontreal Canadiens261301562.5812721
Glenn HallChicago Black Hawks6437471642.63342174
Roger CrozierDetroit Red Wings6437341732.782724127
Dave DrydenChicago Black Hawks11453233.053410
Terry SawchukToronto Maple Leafs271521803.16101131
Cesare ManiagoN.Y. Rangers281613943.5091632
Ed GiacominN.Y. Rangers3620961283.6681970
Bernie ParentBoston Bruins3920831283.69112031
Eddie JohnstonBoston Bruins3317441083.72101921

Coaches

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1965–66 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1965–66 (listed with their last team):

Broadcasting

Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television televised Saturday night regular season games and Stanley Cup playoff games. HNIC also began producing Wednesday night regular season game telecasts for CTV. Games were typically not broadcast in their entirety until the 1968–69 season, and were typically joined in progress.

NBC agreed to air 1966 Sunday afternoon playoff games, marking the first time since the 1959–60 season that the NHL aired nationally in the U.S., and the first time ever that postseason games aired on American network television. The clinching Game 6 of the 1966 Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday, May 5 aired across RKO General-owned stations.

See also

Notes

  1. "Develop Draft System Fleury Tells Delegates". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. May 28, 1965. p. 43.icon of an open green padlock
  2. "Campbell Balks At Break Attempt". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. May 28, 1965. p. 43.icon of an open green padlock
  3. "Sweeping Changes In Pro-Am Hockey Pact". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. August 19, 1966. p. 22.icon of an open green padlock
  4. Duplacey 1996, p. 33.
  5. "Something Borrowed But Nothing Blue For Red Wings", The Montreal Star, 24 January 1966. p.19
  6. "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  7. "Red Wings Jar Black Hawks, 7–0." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1966 Apr 11.
  8. Dinger 2011, p. 150.

References

  • Diamond, Dan, ed. (1994). Years of glory, 1942–1967: the National Hockey League's official book of the six-team era. Toronto, ON: McClelland and Stewart. ISBN 0-7710-2817-2.
  • Diamond, Dan, ed. (2000). Total Hockey. Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X.
  • Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
  • Dryden, Steve, ed. (2000). Century of hockey. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9.
  • Duplacey, James (1996). The annotated rules of hockey. New York, NY: Lyons & Burford, Publishers. ISBN 1-55821-466-6.
  • Fischler, Stan; Fischler, Shirley; Hughes, Morgan; Romain, Joseph; Duplacey, James (2003). The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Inc. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.
  • McFarlane, Brian (1973). The Story of the National Hockey League. New York, NY: Pagurian Press. ISBN 0-684-13424-1.
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